The Bilingual Cooperative Preschool was founded in 1980 by Lilian Buchanan and Maria Emery, two moms who made a difference. They wanted their children to take advantage of the rich cultural diversity found in Miami and with that vision formed a community—The Bilingual Cooperative Preschool.
We are located in the beautiful Bartram House, designated a historic site by the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Board. A lush, tropical garden shades our playground and surrounds our schoolhouse. It is an idyllic setting for fun and learning.
The Co-op is a unique environment, where teachers and parents work together to provide nurturing and education. It is our philosophy and continued vision to honor diversity through socialization, education, and language development in English and Spanish.
The Bilingual Cooperative Preschool follows two main tenets: bilingual language development and cooperation.
Half of each school day is taught in Spanish, while the other half is taught in English.
We also strive to build community through cooperation. Our parents play an active role in all aspects of running our school. Parents from each family attend monthly membership meetings to create and implement school policy. And three parents assist the teachers in the classroom every day.
Central to our philosophy, and overwhelmingly supported by current research, is the belief that parental involvement plays a crucial role in assuring a child's success, both in school and in life outside of school. Parents bring a unique understanding of their children to the classroom. With this knowledge, teachers and parents work together to create learning experiences that meet the needs of each child.
At the Co-op, the children and the families are the school. We learn and grow together.